Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

Makes sense that's it. A quick Google shows the aircraft was in Birmingham, England and someone (a planespotter) noted the aircraft's previous registrant as:
ex G-OESL

The plane also got a warning for excessive noise at Santa Monica Airport in California which I can fully understand. It's a screamer.

 

[TinEar]

Monday morning even more quiet than usual.
0900-1200: Very little activity. A couple of SALTY DOG (Strike Aircraft Test Squadron at Pax River) flights, 322 and 120. The usual transport activity from the three major AF bases in the area (Andrews, Dover, McGuire). And that's about it. Since the morning I heard the 10 F-16s of the DC-ANG fly out of the area, I haven't heard a peep out of that unit. Perhaps others flew out during the night or earlier in the morning before scanning time. We'll find out if any are left upon the first scramble for an intruder into the no fly zone although I can't imagine the area being left naked. That's implausible.

1400 hour:
The first signs of life finally appear. Two F-16s from the NJ-ANG Atlantic City are flying as of 1447 on freq 138.425. Looks like an air intercept training activity. Callsigns are COSMIC 45 and 46. They switch to HUNTRESS on 260.90 and are told to make contact with a tanker on 234.60. They switch to that freq and make contact with TANKER 02. Possibly related...TEAM 11 (KC10A tanker) from McGuire AFB at 1511 on 319.40 announcing he'll be on the deck in 30 minutes.

1500 hour:
MUSSEL 06 (UH-1 helo from Andrews) contacts Phillips AAF on 126.15 to clear through the area.
Another pair of F-16s from the NJ-ANG off the deck about 1515. Also COSMIC.
They are acting as targets for COSMIC 45/46. 46 intercepts one of them, reports its tail number as 84295 AC which just happens to be an F-16 from Atlantic City. All this air intercept activity is taking place on 138.425. At 1551 the COSMIC aircraft are going to meet up with the tanker for refueling. That negates the possible tie to TEAM 11 mentioned above. However, they can't find the tanker on their scope and so ask HUNTRESS to indicate it for them. So they find him and will refuel using freq 260.90 by agreement with TANKER 02.
Had a SPORT 01 contacting Andrews Command Post on 141.55 and transmitted in the blind due to lack of response that he was 15 minutes out and will be going to the "Navy side." This callsign does not compute with anything on my callsign list.
MUSSEL 06 is going home at 1554 with mechanical problems.

1600 hour:
TESTER 09 (USN Test Pilot School) up with BayWatch (Pax River control) on 354.80.
1601 COSMIC 46 finishes refueling, 45 goes in for 3000 pounds and announces that's all they'll need since they only have an hour left on this mission. However, my mission ends now so this report ends until later this evening.

 

[TinEar]

Plenty of evening activity from the F-15s at Langley AFB in the GIANT KILLER area. It started about 1930 and continues at 2100. Among the callsigns in use are HOCUS and RAPID. Several GK freqs active - 238.10, 249.80, 312.30, 373.10, 391.20 among them. They are also working their squadron tac freq 363.90.

NOTE: Chuck, I forgot one of the primary GIANT KILLER freqs on my Friday list of their freqs somewhere above. It's 312.30. Sorry. They are working it tonight which turned on the light.

 

[TinEar]

Away from the scanners for the day until 3 pm local.

1500 hour:
Flight of F-16s from the VA-ANG Richmond just finishing up their exercise and heading for home. Callsign BASH. Using 141.825/141.875/142.55.
Shortly after 1500, two flights of F-15s from Langley AFB entered the GIANT KILLER area on 238.10 and then used 312.30 for operations. Callsigns are ROCKY and DEFT. Believe they are both flights of three aircraft.
Two A-10s from MD-ANG Martin State just returning home at 1505. Callsign RAVEN. Using 347.20 (Raven Ops) and then 297.20 (Martin State Tower). Will be on the ground by 1520 or so.

1600 hour:
A whole gaggle of F-15s from Langley now in the GIANT KILLER area. DEFT is a flight of three, ROCKY a flight of six. Then came WILDCAT (new for Langley), HARM and MEXICO flights. GK freqs 238.10, 249.80, 312.30, 391.20 and squadron tac freq 363.90 heard from them.
END OF REPORT

 

[TinEar]

Not much happening tonight at all. Just a few transports traversing the area. Did have a JINX 32 (Unknown) calling McGuire AFB over and over on 319.40 without being heard - and was only 20 minutes from landing. Finally, TEAM 27 (KC-10A McGuire AFB) that was in the air relayed for him. He did mention he was doing a combat offload. All three bases (Andrews, Dover, McGuire) seem to have trouble hearing aircraft calling them on UHF freqs. Either they don't hear them or they aren't paying attention to their radios.

 

[TinEar]

1000 hour:
The first fighter activity of the day appears when a flight of A-10s from Martin State take off. Callsign RAVEN. They are currently using squadron freq 142.30.
There are a couple of aircraft working in the Pax River (BayWatch) area but are U/I for now.
WARDOG (OA-10 Martin State) off the deck at 1037 with Raven Ops on 347.20.
Trooper 1 (as Lifeguard Trooper 1) clears into the Aberdeen area for medevac landing with Phillips AAF on 126.15 at 1047.
Guard helo 22322 with Weide AAF on 126.20 and 229.40 for landing.
JOSA 964 (C-12) off the deck at Andrews at 1050.
Army 01052 (home based Andrews) 10 minutes out from landing at Andrews at 1052. Ops on 141.55.
WARDOG is at the Kiowa Range on 237.20 and will be working there against MANPADS and SA-3s. He'll take out the radar first. He's working with controller VENOM but complains to BALKY (Range Controller at Kiowa) that he can't hear VENOM. VENOM has been heard before as a controller at Kiowa in conjunction with A-10s from the PA-ANG.

1100 hour:
The other A-10s from Martin State (RAVENs) are now arriving at Kiowa at 1103 and WARDOG is giving them their missions. This WARDOG pilot is a hard charger. He's good. Activity still on 237.20.
At 1105 Lifeguard Trooper 1 clears out of Phillips AAF territory on 126.15 and requests freq change.
The two RAVENs are done at Kiowa at 1117. WARDOG tells them to scoot on home and make the flight reports. They contact Raven Ops on 347.20. WARDOG stays at the range.
1120-1135 sees fighters in the BayWatch area on 270.80 and 354.80. Believe we've got SALTY DOG there.
At 1138 WARDOG finishes ar Kiowa. Sounds like he wants to stay but is "Winchester." Damn...he's a good pilot. He switches to a Harrisburg squawk for clearance to go home. He checks in with Raven Ops 347.20 at 1143.

1200 hour:
GOPHER 1195 (C-130H 109th Airlift Squadron MN-ANG Minneapolis-St. Paul) arriving at Andrews. He's going to upload 14 pallets, 1 vehicle and some loose items and wants 80,000 pounds of fuel. Freq 378.10. Pilot seems concerned about the weight of all that cargo.
COLT 45 (A-10 MD-ANG Martin State) coming home on 347.20 (Raven Ops) and 297.20 (Martin State tower).
At 1220, PAT 636 (C-12 US Army Priority Air Transport Andrews AFB) will be landing at Phillips AAF. Freq 126.15. He wants to make sure the runway is swept of deer. This must be a problem at Phillips. I've heard this request many times. He's on a final approach at 1232.
1230: Something-524-Charlie clears through Phillips AAF airspace on 126.15. Difficult to understand with a heavy Arabic (or Farsi or Urdu) accent.
1250-55: REACH 5033 (Contract passenger acft to Air Mobility Command) tries and tries to communicate with McGuire Command Post on 319.40. Finally makes contact when 15 minutes from landing. Dropping off 9 pax, no cargo.
SALTY DOG 122 (Prob F-18 Strike Aircraft Test Squadron at Pax River) contacts BayWatch on 354.80 to enter area.

1300 hour:
VENUS 44 (99th Airlift Squadron Andrews) arriving home. Only request is for a crew bus for three crew members and to advise the 99th SOF of his arrival. On 141.55. Ground station loud and clear.
Aircraft EVAC 126 follows on 141.55 announcing takeoff from Andrews.
323 (possibly another SALTY DOG) in BayWatch area on 354.80 and 264.55 at 1310.
REACH 1298 calls Andrews on 378.10 for three minutes before getting a response - then just announces his takeoff from Andrews as at 1718Z.
I'm submitting a bid to Andrews Comm Directorate to solve thier comm problem on 378.10. My bid is for a meager $13,876. If accepted, I'll hand them a box with a wide band discone inside it.
REACH 4128 tries contacting McGuire CP on 319.40 several times without success 1330-1336. Contact at 1337...1 pax, no cargo, needs parking space, A-2 maintenance status.
Raven Ops (347.20) talking to WARDOG on the ground at Martin State at 1336. Possible flight of A-10s upcoming.
PAT 636 mentioned earlier arriving Phillips AAF, leaving there at 1351.

1400 hour:
Guard helicopter 22978 with Weide AAF inbound on 126.20.
JOSA 297 off the deck at Andrews 1804Z (378.10).
At 1419 a u/i aircraft leaving BayWatch 270.80 to land at Webster NOLF (Naval Outer Landing Field). Two minutes later he has Webster in sight. Webster tower on 126.20 and 358.00.
At 1440 TESTER 13 (USN Test Flight School) checks in with BayWatch on 270.80.
Overall, a very quiet hour - much more so than normal for a sunny day over the entire listening area.

1500 hour:
TESTER 13 still whipping around the Pax River area. Announces at 1505 he'll be doing vertical maneuvers for the next several minutes. At 1509 he decides he's had enough and announces RTB.
At 1512, FLYER (A-10 PA-ANG Willow Grove) arrives at Kiowa Range on 237.20 and announces he's in a flight of three aircraft.
JOSA 964 coming home to Andrews, tail number 84-0125, home based at Andrews, no pax, no cargo, no fuel needed, 15 minutes out at 1518. Took off earlier at 1050 per mention above.
1525: JOSA 272, C-21, tail number 40073, home based at Andrews, 20 minutes out, no pax, A-3 maintenance status for a broken radar. Wants maintenance guys notified of problem.
EVAC 636 off from Andrews on 141.55 at 1525.
At 1534 three A-10s from Martin State coming home on freq 347.20 with Raven Ops, callsign COLT 1/2/3. Two have Code-2 maintenance problems, and one is Code-1. The problems are a Weapons Safe indicator on one and a PAVE PENNY problem on another. The PAVE PENNY system is a laser tracking pod. It doesn't produce a laser, just tracks one. On the pictures of an A-10, it's the pod hanging off the right side below the pilot's canopy. They switch to Martin Tower on 297.20 for full stop landings at approximately 1546 for the first of the three landings. One of them is still 10 minutes out.
F-16s from VA-ANG up at 1545 on 139.625. Clearing into the GIANT KILLER area on 249.80 at 1548, then onto 292.30...missed callsign.
1554 a flight of three TORCH (F-15s Langley AFB) enter GK's area on 249.80, then 373.10 and 391.20.
1557 flight of three CAVE (F-15s Langley) enter GK's area on 249.80....can't hear GK, switching to 391.20 to try it again. One of the CAVEs has a problem and will RTB. The CAVE flight will not be ready to start the exercise at 10 after the hour as planned. TORCH flight is ready.
1559 flight of ROCKY (F-15s Langley) enter GK's area on 249.80.
Looks like the skies off the VA and NC coasts will be busy for the next hour or so.
1600 END OF REPORT

 

[TinEar]

Back on at 2000 and am hearing F-15s from Langley still working the GIANT KILLER area on 249.80, 373.10 and 391.20. At least one callsign is MILLER. Another is FLASH. There are at least three flights of aircraft working in that group.
CRAB 51 (C-130J MD-ANG Martin State) working with Phillips AAF on 126.15.
Also have a group of fighters working the BayWatch Pax River area on 256.50. Callsign DOG which are NJ-ANG F-16s from Atlantic City. Also up on squadron freqs 138.30 and 138.20.
And at 2035 we have RAVENs (A-10s MD-ANG Martin State) active on 143.80.
SALTY DOG 325 (F-18 Navy Strike Aircraft Test Squadron) working BayWatch freqs.

2100 hour:
Looks like most of the fighters have RTBed or are on their way home by 2100. Have one flight in the GK area working 391.20
CRAB 51 getting ready to land at Phillips AAF on 126.15 at 2105.
The NJ flight is working 138.20 as they work toward Atlantic City from Pax River.
The flight in the GK area are Langley F-15s and are using their squadron tac freq 315.85 in addition to GK's freq.
At 2125 the NJ guys are still yakking on 138.20.
All these guys love summertime night flying and are never in any hurry to get home.
CRAB 51 off again and doing approaches at Phillips but is requesting clearance back home to Martin State at 2126. Phillips asks for one more approach and CRAB 51 agrees. He does it and Phillips turns him onto course 270, has him climb to 3,000 feet, tosses him over to Potomac TRACON on 125.525 and clears him back to Martin State. CRAB 51 eventually winds up on Martin State tower freq 121.30.
It appears the NJ F-16s have plopped down in Atlantic City by 2140.
At 2144 we've got two flights of Langley F-15s entering GIANT KILLER's area on 249.80 and then switch to 312.30 for ops. They are using callsigns YODA and CAJUN. (CAJUN is new for Langley..adding to callsign list.)

2200 hour:
Lifeguard Trooper 1 clears through Weide AAF area on 126.20 at 2208...then tries clearing through Phillips AAF area on 126.15 and is informed by the controller there that they are closed this time of night. He relents and advises him there is a Guard helo working "somewhere" in the area doing night vision goggle training. How nice of him.
GK 312.30 still active 2210 with Langley F-15s.

 

[TinEar]

Disregard...wrong thread.

 

[Mark]

>At 2144 we've got two flights of Langley F-15s entering GIANT KILLER's area on 249.80 and then switch to 312.30 for ops. They are using callsigns YODA and CAJUN. (CAJUN is new for Langley..adding to callsign list.)<

Rgr TIN I have CAJUN callsign listed F15 MA ANG 101 FS/102 FW OTIS
ANGB MA.
Langley gets a lot of out of town F-15 crews and others who train in offshore warning areas also so could be them.
Also just a heads up that YODA 1 callsign is also A/A on 233.5250. That has been id on other board as a possible F-22 Raptor/F-15 A/A freq so going to keep an ear out for that as Langley gets its F-22's up in service here on the mid Atlantic coast.
Should be fun soon listening to F-15's get snookered by F-22's.I assume Langley will transfer some of their F-15 callsigns to F-22's.Listen for RAPTOR callsign etc....

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Roger that Mark. I guess CAJUN could be a TDY unit at Langley but for now...
I'd ask Paul K. from the MA board since he's into MilAir in that area if the Otis guys are down this way but he's on vacation this week in this area.

Identifying the Raptors is going to be a fun exercise. I mentioned somewhere above they got their first one on the 8th of this month. I've also been wondering if they'll come up with a new batch of callsigns or keep the old ones. Based on history, I'd guess they will pick brand new callsigns that will be unique to the F-22. It's an ego thing in the Air Force - especially when you've got the newest, fastest, baddest machine on the block. We'll see.

F-22 photo gallery for those not familiar with this beauty:
http://www.f-22raptor.com/index_gallery.php

2235: OPEC 39 (KC-10A McGuire AFB) with McGuire Command Post on 319.40.
2239: Lifeguard Trooper 1 checks in with Phillips on 126.15...oops (remembers and)...switches to Weide on 126.20 and clears through the area saying he's travelling over Route 40 at 1000 feet.

 

[TinEar]

Mark, I forgot to mention last night that the WILDCAT callsign I heard a day or two earlier from the Langley bunch is one I marked as a possible call for the F-22. He was a single ship and appeared to be a target for the air-to-air exercise taking place. Of course, it could have simply been an operational callsign rather than squadron callsign for the duration of the exercise. Keep it in mind as a potential hit.

Alan

 

[TinEar]

Combat Air Patrol up over the DC area...aircraft are HARASS 35/36 (F-15s from Langley AFB)...working with HUNTRESS on 260.90.

 

[TinEar]

The CAP lasted a very short time - no more than about 30 minutes. I have no idea why unless it was a scramble against a specific target but they didn't give that indication.

It has been a very busy afternoon. Among the ANG units:
MD/VA/PA/NJ all using their squadron tac freqs in addition to mission freqs.

A-10s from MD and PA have been at the Kiowa Range for a good chunk of the afternoon. First came MD-ANG, callsign WARDOG acting as a Forward Air Controller for three COLT A-10s working with range controllers BALKY and VENOM. Then, the PA-ANG came right behind them with FLYER as the FAC for a flock of UGLY A-10s starting at 1530.

F-16s from VA-ANG flew in the GIANT KILLER area, entering on 238.10 and then on 391.20, callsign BASH. The NJ-ANG F-16s stayed in their home turf.

F-15s from Langley were in the GK area also on the same two freqs. Among the callsigns were WOLF. Others are in there too and working squadron freq 315.85. An E3B from Tinker AFB OK, callsign CHALICE, is whipping around the GK area also.

Just set your scanner to search 225-399.75 and you'll hear MilAir activity today - plenty of it.

 

[TinEar]

PA-ANG A-10s from Willow Grove active on squadron tac freq 143.25 and then over to Kiowa Range on 237.20 at 2013. Callsign FLYER...says he's about 15 minutes early to the range and if they aren't ready for his crew, he'll just hang out till they are. They are using NVGs during this exercise.
There is also a CRAB (C-130J MD-ANG) at Kiowa and the A-10 wants to know if he can (may) still drop his bombs with the CRAB aircraft there. He may.
The FLYERs are going to be followed onto the range shortly by a flight of UGLY A-10s, also from Willow Grove. The UGLY flight is using 138.30 as a squadron tac freq. This is shared with NJ and others.
They are using both BALKY and RANGER for Kiowa control callsigns.
At 2054 FLYERs are leaving Kiowa, heading to Harrisburg for a practice approach and then RTB Willow Grove. And at 2055 here come the UGLYs.

2100 hour shows F-16s from NJ-ANG flying...using 142.45 and 138.125 so far.

 

[md_p97]

Hi guys, I'm back....

Just heard some interesting comms on 123.4500

Big Bird is calling out co-ordinates to someone on the ground (sounded like loovs). Fed ops perhaps? ...I'll continue to monitor...Look for edits.

Paul

2345: Not much to add....heard phrases like "over target", "1/4 circle", "aquire a full circle VFI"....not making a whole lot of sense to me, other than they are mapping something out. Only hearing one side of the comms now.

2353: Big Bird RTB'ing...complaining its the best they can do...also...Big Bird has a middle eastern accent (forgot to put that in earlier)...think they are somewhere over NVa

 

[TinEar]

Very curious Paul. That freq (123.45) is for pilot air-to-air chat and is usually busy with pilots chatting about everything under the sun. It's a wonder no one tried to run them off for using it for work purposes.

Hope everything went well with your trip and getting your daughter back.

Alan

 

[TinEar]

1013: VA-ANG up on 142.175 and 141.875. Just airborne. TBOLT/TBONE*.
1016: Add 141.825 for above flight.
1021: TBOLT/TBONE enter GK area on 238.10, switch to 350.0.
1034: SALTY DOG 410 (Strike Acft Test Sqdn) enters Pax River area on 270.80.
1037: TBOLT/TBONE flight RTB, report out of GK area on 238.10.
*TBOLT or TBONE (not sure which it was) is new to VA-ANG.
1040: Flight of COLT (A-10 MD-ANG) up and on way to range. 347.2/143.8
1045: BADGER 60 (Helo) contacts Phillips 126.15, then Weide 229.40. Eventual return to Wilmington DE about 90 minutes later.
1050: SALTY DOG 322 (SATS, Pax River) enters Pax River flight area on 270.80.

1110: BANGER/DEVIL (F-16 NJ-ANG) enter GK area on 255.00.
1110: HUNTRESS vectoring a fighter toward a target on 260.9. Hear the ground station but not the aircraft. Ends by 1115. Acft must have been low and distant.
1124: Martin State A-10s coming home 297.20. Pilot wants Army guys notified they're coming in from the southeast. No reason given. Upon landing, one of the A-10s says he's Code 1 - until he opens the canopy...I take that to mean he's about to get wet since it's raining fairly hard.
1130: JOSA 273 reports off from Andrews at 1127 but says he's turning around and coming home. (378.10)
1135: JOSA 273 tells Andrews to check with maintenance to get them another aircraft. (He's probably a C-12)
1155: REACH 367T to Andrews on 378.10 - 10 minutes out. Needs crew bus for 2.
1152-1156 VENUS 401 makes 7 calls to Andrews on 378.10 - not heard. Says he's 20 minutes out. Still no reply. 1157 he gets an answer. Needs crew bus for 5.

1312: FLYER (A-10 PA-ANG) with BALKY at Kiowa Range 237.20 and tac 138.3.
1315: VA-ANG F-16 (142.175/141.875) tells base to hurry and contact his wife so she can watch him landing. Ego 1 should be his callsign.
1321: EVAC 126 reports takeoff time from Andrews was 1716Z (378.1)
1339: VA-ANG Richmond Command Post 289.3 active.
1340: CRAB Ops (MD-ANG C-130J) to acft on ground 385.90.
1345: RAVEN 1 (A-10 MD-ANG) takeoff 347.2.
1346: WARNER 56 (Unk) 30 minutes out from Andrews - 10 crew members. 141.55.
1357: JOSA 608, tail #40125 arriving Andrews 12-15 mins. 141.55.

1404: Fighters at Kiowa Range 237.2...one flight is FLYER (PA-ANG), other is UGLY, also PA-ANG.
1406: DEECEE 51 (C-141 Andrews) reports off the deck at 1803Z. 378.1.
1411: Copter 112 landing Phillips AAF 126.15.
1417: COLTs active with Raven Ops on 143.8.
1443: REACH 285T arriving Andrews - 2 vehicles to download with 5 drivers for them. Makes me think...how many does it take to change a lightbulb?
1450: Two COLTs (A-10) Code 1, 10 minutes out w/Raven Ops 347.2.
1452: DRAGON 1 (Northrup Gruman test acft) reports on top clouds at 8,000 feet - 123.225.
1456: COLTs switch to 297.2 (Martin Twr), change c/s to RAVEN and report 8 miles south, coming in for full stop.
1459: DRAGON 1 calling DRAGON 2 on 123.200 (See 1452 item). Then talking to Northrup Gruman base station at BWI on 123.225 telling him he's airborne, VFR above the cloud deck and ready to go.

1503: Last RAVEN/COLT on the ground. Five minutes later parked, canopy up and done with the mission per Mother Hen Raven on 347.2 (Just my name for her.)
1513: Three more A-10s Martin State up on 142.3 checking wx in the area. Heading home.
1513: REACH 34130 25 minutes out fm Andrews, zero pax or cargo. 5 crew. 378.1.
1515: Two A-10s are Code 1, one is Code 3 for hung rocket, 5 minutes out from Martin State. 347.2
1519: U/I acft on VA-ANG Richmond Command Post 289.3 requesting phone patch to 584-XXXX.
1532: The DRAGONs are near Martinsburg airport and turning southeast. 123.225.
1533. DRAGON 1 reports perfect conditions and he's starting his run.
1540: PAT 686 (Army Priority Air Transport) 15 minutes out from landing at Phillips to drop off an R-6. 126.15. Landing r/w 22.
1541-42: Someone holding xmitter open on 378.1 rebroadcasting Potomac TRACON taffic.
1559: DRAGON 1 & 2 still performing testing.
1559: PAT 686 still 3 out from landing at Phillips after much maneuvering from TRACON.
END OF REPORT

NOTE- BWI (Potomac) TRACON freq 124.55 is duplicated on 254.35 for MilAir. This is a change. Old match was 133.75/254.35.

 

[n3bxv]

1406: DEECEE 51 (C-141 Andrews) reports off the deck at 1803Z. 378.1.

Alan,
The 459th Airlift Wing became the 459th Air Refueling Wing and is now flying KC-135s instead of 141s...
{EDIT} I pretty sure that the 756th ARS is the flying squadron of the 459th ARW, just as the 756th ALS was in the 459th AW

Heard anything on the Scheduled NORAD exercise over DC yet?
http://www.nbc4.com/news/4873316/detail.html?treets=dc&tid=2651651567813&tml=dc_4pm&tmi=dc_4pm_1_03000208192005&ts=H

Officials said the exercise will involve two Cessna aircraft, a C-21, a Citation 550, and a UH-60 Blackhawk flying at low altitudes over the Potomac river and around the District late Friday and early Saturday.

Credit to SCAN-DC List for this tip...

 

[TinEar]

Nope, nothing yet. Based on the news release, I'm expecting it late tonight - very late. Thanks for the news on the 459th. I wonder what their relationship is now to the 756th ARS??

 

[doctordave]

From Alan Henney & Mike Agner on SCAN-DC/MD:


NORAD To Take To D.C. Area Skies
Exercise Planned For Friday Night

POSTED: 1:05 pm EDT August 19, 2005

WASHINGTON -- An exercise designed to test intercept and
identification operations will take place Friday night over the
nation's capital.

The exercise, conducted by the North American Aerospace Defense
Command (NORAD), is dubbed Falcon virgo 05-12. Officials said the
Civil Air Patrol, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will also
take part in the training exercise.

Officials said the exercise will involve two Cessna aircraft, a C-21,
a Citation 550, and a UH-60 Blackhawk flying at low altitudes over the
Potomac river and around the District late Friday and early Saturday.

Officials said NORAD has conducted similar exercises throughout the
United States and Canada since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
2001.

In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will roll over to Aug.
20, officials said.

73s Mike
***************************************************

Should make for some interesting listening.